Name: Obama: One of the Few Regrets of My Presidency
Uploaded: 2016-01-13
Duration: 2 min 46 s
Description: He discusses during his final State of the Union Address.

Democracy breaks down when the average person feels their voice doesn't matter. That the system in rigged in favor of the rich or the powerful or some special interest. Too many Americans feel that way right now its one of the few regrets of my presidency But the ranker and suspicion between parties have gotten worse instead of better. I have do doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divided and I guarantee i'll keep trying to be better so long as I hold this office But my fellow Americans, this can not be my task or any presidents alone. There are a whole lot of folks in this chamber, good people, who would like to see more cooperation. Would like to see a more elevated debate in Washington. But feel trapped by the imperative of getting elected, by the noise coming outta your base. I know you've told me, so worse kept secret in Washington? And a lot of it unenjoying. Being trapped in that kind of [ UNKNOWN ]. But that means if we want a better politics, and I'm addressing the american people now, if we want a better politics it's not enough just to change a congressmen or change a senator or even change a president. [ SOUND ] We have to change the system to reflect our better selves. I think we've gotta end the practice of drawing our congressional districts so that politicians can pick their voters and not the other way around. [ APPLAUSE ] We gotta reduce the influence of money in our politics so that a handful of families Foreign interest can't bankroll our election. [ APPLAUSE ] And if our existing approach to campaign finance reform can't muster in the courts we need to work together to find a real solution. Cuz it's a problem. And most of you don't like raising money. I know. I've done it. [ APPLAUSE ] We've got to make it easier to vote, not harder. [ APPLAUSE ] We need to modernize it to the way we live now. This is America. We want to make it Easier for people to participate. And over the course of this year, I intend to travel the country to push for reforms to do just that.

He discusses during his final State of the Union Address.